The following are frequently asked questions about ICO. We hope these questions will be helpful
to you!

Application Process
Admission Interviews
International Students
About ICO
Accepted Students

Application Process

1) How long after I apply will it take to hear a response back from the Office of Admissions?
It takes approximately 4-5 weeks from the date that we receive all of your Application materials (application, Pre-Optometry Coursework Sheet, processing fee & official transcripts, and letters of evaluation) to process and review them. The Admissions Committee cannot review your application until we have received official Transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended.

Although we enjoy speaking with you and appreciate the anxiety of the application process, please keep in mind that calling to check the status of your application before the 4-5 week time frame actually slows down the processing and review of your application. After the initial review of your application, we will notify you (via email or U.S. mail) of the status of your application.

If it has been at least five (5) weeks and you have not heard from us, please feel free to contact us.

2) How long are my OAT scores valid?
ICO accepts OAT scores reported within the past two years. For example, if you are applying for the 2007 Entering Class, we accept OAT scores from Fall 2004 through Spring 2007. You must take the OAT by the March 15th Application deadline.

3) Is there a minimum OAT score?
There is no minimum OAT score for admission. Please refer to the most recent Entering Class Profile for the average OAT score for the current first year class.

4) Is a baccalaureate degree required?
A baccalaureate degree is not required, however, it is highly recommended. If you have not earned a bachelor’s degree, you need to have earned at least 90 semester hours (135 quarter hours) of undergraduate course work before enrolling at ICO.

5) Does it matter what major I choose for my undergraduate study?
No. A specific major is not required for admission. Typically the most popular majors are in the biological sciences, however many ICO students have had majors in a variety of areas. Please refer to the most recent Entering Class Profile for the most popular majors among the current first year class.

6) When will the applications for the next year be available?
The Application is available online immediately on August 1st preceding the application year for which you are applying.

7) Can you recommend a good university or college to transfer to when I finish my program at the community college level?
Any accredited four (4) year college or university is acceptable. Choosing an undergraduate institution is an individual choice and should be made with careful consideration.

 

Admission Interviews

1) Does ICO conduct off-campus admission interviews or phone interviews?
No, we do not conduct off-campus or phone interviews.

2) What is the Interview Day like?
The Interview Day usually starts at 9:15 and will last until approximately 2:30pm. The day will consist of a file review, a financial aid overview, an interview with a faculty or a member of the Admissions Committee, followed by a tour of our campus and lunch.

3) Before I come to Chicago, do you have any advice for my interview preparation?
During the interview we are trying to assess your interest in the profession, understanding of the profession and current issues, ability to communicate and your motivation and sincerity to enter the profession of optometry. The best thing you can do to prepare for your interview is to be yourself. Think of the day as your opportunity to learn more about ICO - come prepared with any questions you might have.

 

International Students

1) Are courses from Canadian universities accepted?
Prerequisite courses are accepted from Canadian universities as long as they are accredited. Prerequisite courses taken in Grade 13 are also accepted (as long as it is equivalent to 1 full year).

2) Are courses from other international universities accepted?
If you have completed college-level coursework at an institution outside the U.S. or Canada, or if your transcripts are not written in English, the transcript must be submitted to an official evaluation service for a course-by-course analysis. ICO accepts transcript evaluations from World Education Services, Inc (WES) www.wes.org and Educational Credential Evaluations (ECE) www.ece.org. An official copy of the evaluation must be forwarded directly to the Office of Admissions from the evaluation board.

3) If English is my second language, do I need to take the TOEFL?
If English is your second language, you are strongly advised to submit TOEFL scores (Test of English as a Foreign Language). If you feel compelled to forego this examination, you may submit a written request that this requirement be waived. TOEFL results may subsequently be requested by the Admissions Committee after assessing your proficiency in written and spoken English during the application and interview process.

4) Is financial aid available for Canadian students?
Many Canadian students are eligible for federal (Canada Student Loan) and provincial loans; the application process begins with forms provided by your home province (e.g. British Columbia Student Assistance Program). Because those programs may vary by province and fall outside our area of experience, you will need to contact the appropriate administrative office (e.g. Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology) to pursue these loan programs.

If a Canadian student is a Permanent Resident of the U.S. and has an Alien Registration number provided by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, they are fully eligible for financial aid through programs sponsored by the US Department of Education. Canadian students who are permanent residents of the US should complete a FAFSA form; these forms are available online (www.fafsa.ed.gov) and are also available in the Student Financial Services Office.

If a Canadian student is not a Permanent Resident of the U.S. , but is able to obtain a creditworthy cosigner for student loans who is a U. S. citizen or Permanent Resident, there are a number of loan programs for which they are eligible. The terms of these educational loans are quite competitive and the loans can cover a large portion of your educational expenses at ICO.

If a Canadian student is not a Permanent Resident of the U.S. and is unable to obtain a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, there are a limited number of loan programs available to assist you with your educational expenses. At the current time, many ICO students who fall into this category are borrowing funds through the Canadian Higher Education Loan Program (CanHelp) administered by The Education Resources Institute (TERI).

 

About ICO

1) How much is tuition/room and board?

The rates are as follows for the 2008-2009 Academic Year: Direct Educational Expenses
Fall, Winter, Spring Quarter (Years 1-3)
Tuition: $9440 (per quarter) INSERT NEW RATE $9,725
Fees: $154


Fall, Winter, Spring Quarters: (Year 4)
Tuition: $7305 (per quarter) NEW RATE $7,900
Fees: $99

On-Campus Housing (per quarter/person): add to this line
Double: $1465 + meal plan NEW RATE $1,510
Single: $2113 + meal plan $2,180
Double as Single: $2290 + meal plan $2,360
3 Bedroom: $2440 $2,515
2 Bedroom: $2995 $3,085
1 Bedroom: $3790 $3,905
1 Bedroom Large: $3970 $4,090
ADDITION TO LINE BELOW
(Note: all rooms are furnished and include the following at no additional charge: High Speed Wireless Internet, Cable Television and all utilities.)

Meal Plan (per quarter)
132 meals per Quarter: $1,195 (includes $150 in Cafeteria Flex Dollars)

ADDITION TO LINE BELOW

*Price includes high-speed wireless internet service, cable television, and all utilities: heat, air, water, and sewer. All rooms are fully furnished.
While this represents the most accurate information available at this time, it is subject to change without notice.

Accepted Students
1) When will school begin for the Entering Class of 2008?
The first day of class is Wednesday, August 13th.
First Year Orientation (required) begins on Saturday, Aug. 9.
August 8th is Residential Complex Move-In for entering students.

*Price includes high-speed internet service, cable television, and all utilities: heat, air, water, and sewer.
While this represents the most accurate information available at this time, it is subject to change without notice.

2) What is the retention rate at Illinois College of Optometry?
Total student retention during the 2006-2007 academic year was 99.7%. The faculty and administration of Illinois College of Optometry are dedicated to providing both a challenging and supportive environment for all students. Any student that leaves the program prior to their scheduled graduation date (4 years) for any reason is included in reported attrition data; this may include maternity leaves, family or health emergencies and academic difficulties.

3) What is the externship process at ICO?
Externships are a large part of the fourth year clinical education at ICO. There are externships all across the United States as well as outside of the country. Currently, ICO students spend two of their four possible quarter rotations away from ICO. One of those rotations must be spent at a Veterans Administration Hospital. ICO students are required to spend one quarter rotation at the Illinois Eye Institute and the final quarter rotation may be spent at the Illinois Eye Institute or away from ICO.

A key component to the externship program is to provide the student with a varied and diverse experience in all of optometry's specialized areas such as primary care, contact lenses, pediatrics/binocular vision, advanced care and low vision rehabilitation. Many of the externship sites involve multidisciplinary care which is instrumental in developing well-rounded clinicians.

The selection process for the externship involves the student making site selections based on their preferences and matching their needs to fulfill curriculum hours needed for graduation. The selection process is random to allow for fairness to all students involved. There is some flexability in the process to allow students to switch sites before the schedule is finalized. All students, regardless of marital status, should plan on being away from the Chiacgo area for externship.

Please see the listing of externships http://www.ico.edu/currentstudents/externships.html for an idea of available sites. Since the program is continually growing and changing, new sites might be added by the time you make your selections during your third professional year.

4) What is the pass rate for ICO students on the National Boards?
The National Board of Examiners for Optometry (NBEO) is an organization charged with the task of development and administration of standardized tests designed primarily to assess entry-level competency for different stages of a student's optometric training. Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) students are allowed to take Part I of the examination at its earliest offering in August of their Third Professional Year as long as they are in good academic standing (2.00 cumulative GPA) at the time of test registration. Some optometry programs differ on when they feel their students are prepared to take this examination and place limits on when they will allow their students to sit for the examination.

The following are ICO student pass rates compared to the national average for the first offering of each examination in the years indicated:

NBEO Part 1 Basic Science Pass Rates
	ICO	National	National
Year	% Pass	%Pass	% Pass 1st Timers
2006	85%	77.4%	86%
2005	80%	71.6%	76%
2004	72.3%	67%	77%

 

NBEO Part 2 Clinical Science Pass Rates
	ICO	National
Year	% Pass	% Pass
2006	89%	89%
2005	87%	91.7%
2004	91%	91%

 

NBEO Part 3 Patient Care Pass Rates
	ICO	National
Year	% Pass	% Pass
2007	100%	TBA
2006	95%	92.76%
2005	95%	93%

Please note:

While we are very proud that ICO student performance on all parts of the examination typically run above the national average, NBEO performance of previous students is only one measure of an optometry program. All applicants are encouraged to use this data in the appropriate context when evaluating this and other programs

5) Does ICO "weed-out" students?
No, ICO does not seek to "weed-out" a single student we accept. So much time and energy goes into selecting the candidates we believe are the most qualified to become optometrists, it makes no sense for us to plan to eliminate anyone from the program once they begin. It is in the College's and the student's best interest for every accepted student to graduate!

We do recognize that the curriculum is challenging, and realize that some students benefit from assistance beyond class and laboratory involvement. For these reasons, ICO has an academic enrichment program in place to help. Services such as review sessions, one-on-one and group tutoring, academic advising and study skills enhancement programming are offered at no additional cost to ICO students. It is our desire to retain every single student that we accept, and see them graduate with an O.D. degree.

Having said that, it is also important to realize there have to be academic standards. ICO's academic standards are indeed high. Do we do this to make life hard on our students or to encourage dropping out? Quite the contrary, we are mindful of our obligations to the future of the profession of Optometry and to the quality of care afforded patients. We will not compromise those obligations by lowering the academic standards. We hope that by maintaining high academic standards our graduates will be prepared to provide the best care possible.

6) How safe is the area surrounding the school?
ICO's neighbor immediately to the west is the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), so there are lots of students in the neighborhood. We have a College Security Force, which is staffed by professional officers with considerable experience in law enforcement who are on duty 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Closed circuit TV monitors are used for surveillance of parking areas and the surrounding College property. IIT also has security that patrols the area and there is a police station close by with which we have an excellent relationship.

Like any urban environment, everyone must make common sense decisions when living in a city. Please give us a call if this is something you would like to learn more about and we will send you a copy of our Campus Security Report.

 

Accepted Students

1) When will school begin for the Entering Class of 2007?
The first day of class is Wednesday, August 22th.

2) Are first year students required to live in the dormitory on campus?
No, however it is recommend especially if you live out of state. It is the best place for a new student to study, make friends and adapt to professional school and the city.

3) If I am a new entering First Year Student, when can I expect to receive my financial aid papers and is there a deadline for applying for the following year?
Applicants will begin the financial aid process on their interview day. Students can apply for financial aid anytime, however, we advise to submit the FAFSA as soon as possible. Prompt responses for any requests for information from the Student Financial Services Office will ensure a smooth process.

4) When can I expect to receive housing information?
Accepted students will receive information on housing (RC) in the spring (usually the end of April) preceding the upcoming academic year.